The College AU Verse
by SpencerRemyLvr
Summary: 17 year old Spencer Reid has left behind Caltech, walking away from a few good friends and an entire boatload of trouble. He hopes to start over here at Stanford and leave behind the serious mistakes of the past year. He's got a new school, new apartment, and a new roommate. Everything's going to be okay, right? - This series will contain quite a lot of fandoms. MAJOR NOTES INSIDE
1. Chapter 1

I originally planned on posting this solely on AO3 because it's a series of one shots and short chapter fics. But then I decided, what the hey, I'll post it here too, only I'll post it as one big thing. Each one shot will be a chapter in the story (The Chapter Title will be the One Shot Title, and for Longer stories I'll add a 1, 2, 3 etc after so you know) So this will be slowly updated as each one comes out. But please, keep in mind that this is one big verse, just put into one space.

This IS a multi fandom AU. Please read through all the summary/notes here before reading the rest of the story. Merci beaucoup!

* * *

The College!AU you never knew you wanted/needed.

17 year old Spencer Reid has left behind Caltech, walking away from a few good friends and an entire boatload of trouble. He hopes to start over here at Stanford and leave behind the serious mistakes of the past year. He's got a new school, a new apartment, and a new roommate. Follow him on his journey as he settles in, makes some new friends, meets some new people, and essentially tries to start over. But trouble never really stays in the past and eventually Spencer's going to have to face up to what he's done and what's happened.

This story will have angst, it will have hurt/comfort, and some past graphic things that might be upsetting to others. As of right now, it'll also be an Mpreg story, with male carriers. That doesn't show up right away, though, so if you don't want that, you still have a story or two to get your vote in and beg for it not to be there.

This story will also have its happy, fluffy moments, with romance and friendships and finding out that, as Bobby says, Family don't end in blood.

Sometimes, family is who you make it, not who you were born to.

* * *

 **Fandoms list: (as of right now)**

Leverage

Criminal Minds

X-Men

Supernatural

There is NO supernatural elements or mutations or any of that. This is an all human AU!

* * *

 **Pairings: (Some current, some in the future)**

Hardison/Parker/Eliot

Nate/Sophie

Jean/Scott

Dean/Castiel

Sam/Gabriel

Remy/Spencer

JJ/Will

Bobby/Marie(Rogue)

More may be added to either list at any point in time.

* * *

Here are some of the tags I put up on AO3 to label this. I'll add more here as I add more stories, more 'chapters'

Alternate Universe - College/University

Way AU

OT3

Polyamory

Past Drug Use

Dark Past

Past Abuse

Friendship

College

Starting Over

Young Spencer

strong Spencer


	2. Settling In

That was the last of it. Seventeen year old Spencer Reid set down his box on his new bed and straightened back up with only a small wince for his back. He was grateful that he didn't have all that much to worry about transporting. Just a bag and the few boxes. Those boxes, however, had mostly contained books, and those were always heavy to carry. Thank God for Derek. Not just for driving him and his stuff here, but for helping to unload it all as well.

As if thinking of his friend had summoned him, the bedroom door opened and Derek Morgan strolled in, having a much easier time with his box than Spencer had. It probably had something to do with the fact that the man was tall with a body that was made for the football field. The twenty two year old grinned at him as he dropped the box onto the ground. "There, that's everything." Without hesitation, he dropped himself down onto the bed and folded his hands behind his head, resting it against the wall. "Not a bad room you got here, kid. Better than my bedroom!"

"Anything would be better than that closet you call an apartment." Spencer pointed out dryly. He'd been in Derek's apartment and he knew what it looked like. Small was putting it kindly. Spencer had been amazed countless times at the fact that Derek had been able to stay there. It was a tiny place, the living room doubling as a bedroom with one of those beds that folded up into the wall.

Derek laughed and stuck a foot out, pushing against Spencer's hip and making him stumble back. "Watch it, kid!"

A hint of a smile touched the shy teen's lips. It wasn't many that were able to tease him like that. Not many that he would've allowed close enough to tease him that way. Derek was just…special. Unique. Their whole friendship was unique, really.

Spencer had met the football player almost three years ago when Spencer had first started at Caltech. Being only thirteen at the time—he'd graduated high school the year before that—he'd been let into Caltech only because of his extremely high IQ. Spencer knew he was a feather in their cap that they were eager to show off. They'd worked with Spencer and his mother to accommodate everyone, including setting it up for Spencer to always be able to take the bus back to Vegas for weekends at home, and they had carefully selected someone to be his roommate in the dorms. Someone responsible, who would act as a sort of guardian while he was there. He'd been lucky in that he'd gained Aaron Hotchner as a roommate. Through him, he'd met Derek, one of Aaron's close friends. Somehow, for some reason Spencer still didn't understand, the men had befriended him despite their age difference, and while Aaron tended to act more like a father or an uncle, Derek had become one of Spencer's best friend. Their friendship was odd to most people. The taller, dark skinned man, obviously into sports, most definitely into football, hanging out with what one of Derek's friends had called the 'nerdy little white boy'. They were the source of plenty of humor, though neither of them cared.

Spencer had no idea how he would've made it through the past few years without his friend. He definitely wouldn't have survived the events of the past year without him.

Shivering, Spencer pushed those thoughts back. He wasn't going to think about that. This was a new town, new school, a brand new start. Things were going to be different here. This wasn't going to be like Caltech at all. He was older now, not as naïve. Not as _stupid_. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes twice. Besides, this could be considered a good thing, right? Stanford was said to have a fantastic engineering program, and what he knew of their psychology program seemed to be pretty decent. Those were his courses this year.

"Hey." Derek's voice cut in to Spencer's thoughts and brought him back to the present. He found his friend siting up now, watching him with concern. "You all right there, Reid?"

Spencer summoned up as best of a smile as he could manage and nodded at him. "Yeah. Just…just thinking, that's all." He turned his attention to one of the nearby boxes, using that as an excuse to turn away from Derek long enough to compose his thoughts.

"Having second thoughts?"

"No." No, he definitely wasn't having that. This was the right move for him. Staying at Caltech…that wasn't possible. Not anymore. Spencer laid his hands flat on top of the box in front of him and took a steadying breath. When he spoke again, his voice was a bit steadier. "No, I'm not. This is what I need to do. I, I couldn't stay there anymore. Stanford was a good second choice. Their programs here are well known and the school is considered exceptional. I'm sure I'll be academically challenged here, which you know doesn't happen frequently for me."

He heard the slight squeak of the bed as Derek shifted his weight. "You'll make friends here, too. Just give it time."

With his usual skill, Derek had cut neatly through Spencer's jabbering and down to the truth underneath. There was no denying that Spencer was exceedingly nervous about being alone here without any of the support system that he had back at Caltech. At the same time, he didn't really want a new set of friends. He wasn't going to be looking around here for that. He'd had enough of most people to last him for a long time. "I'm not here to make friends, Morgan. I just, I'm here to learn, to study. That's it. Everything else is secondary. Besides, I still have you guys, even if you aren't here."

"Reid." The bed squeaked again and he heard as Derek rose to his feet. His best friend came over and stood at his side, close but not touching. He was always really good at reading when Spencer was in the state of mind to be touched and when he wasn't. He was one of the few people in Spencer's life who'd ever taken the time to learn all those little quirks and remember them. Spencer had appreciated that more than he'd ever been able to put into words. Expressing his feelings wasn't one of Spencer's strong suits. He was much more comfortable in the safety of books and facts and numbers.

Derek leaned in just enough to let their shoulders brush and then pulled back so that there was space between them again. "Listen, kid…you know I understand why you came here. I get it. You need the fresh start and that's cool. Just, don't shut yourself off, all right? No one should be alone all the time."

"I'm not alone." Spencer looked up at him with a shy little smile. "You'll still call, right?"

"Call, write, visit—you aint getting rid of us, pretty boy. That's why we got you that cell phone."

Immediately Spencer's hand went to the pocket where the slim phone sat. His lips parted, the same protests building there that he'd already said countless times, and Derek quickly cut him off. "Don't even start that again, Reid. I don't care if your pride doesn't like it; you need a phone and Hotch and I can afford it. It'll give us peace of mind to know you've got a way of calling if you're in trouble, or if you need us."

"I told you, Morgan, I'll be fine."

A low sigh slid from Derek and the older man shook his head. Pressing any further right now would only get Spencer to shut down .He knew him well enough to know that right now was the time to back off. If he pushed Spencer too hard and made him shut down, there was no telling how long it would take to get him to open back up. So he softened his smile and held up a finger to point at him. "It doesn't have to be just us calling, either. You better call and check in; especially if you need us. It's like, a six hour drive here. That's not that bad. You need me, you call, y'hear?"

Spencer smiled. "I hear you."

"Good."

It wasn't easy for Spencer to escort his friend back down to his car. The great big hug that Derek swept him up in was no real surprise. It was just part of how the man was. Still, it never failed to startle him a little. He always flinched at the initial contact and took a second to relax into it. Derek knew that and held the hug a little longer than most might so that Spencer could have a chance to relax and reciprocate and enjoy the embrace. When they pulled back, Spencer was a little flushed, his gaze darting down and away from Derek's face, but that wasn't anything unusual. He had issue meeting people's eyes most of the time. "Thanks again, Morgan."

"Anytime, kid. And I mean it—anytime."

He climbed into the driver's seat then and Spencer stood there and watched and waved as his closest friend pulled away. Only when Derek was out of sight did Spencer turn around and head back up to his new dorm room. Time to start unloading things and getting them organized.

* * *

Spencer had three days in his apartment before his new roommate arrived. Three days in which he got himself settled in and as comfortable as possible before his new space was invaded.

One thing Spencer had been grateful about with coming here was his living arrangements. No residence hall for him, no tiny little dorm room split down the middle to share with someone who would make his life hell. Because he was seventeen, housing options were limited, but Spencer's recent emancipation meant that he was allowed to stay in one of the college run sets of apartments. One of his scholarships helped with living expenses, which was great. He knew at least that his rent was always going to be covered. Food, that was up to him, but rent was paid for, and he could always use the dining plan that the school had.

The apartment he got put into was pretty well set up. Since it was an apartment, not a dorm room, he and his roommate had separate bedrooms. There was a decent sized living room, plus a kitchen for them to make use of. Spencer didn't really plan on using much else except his room. He had his room set up perfectly and he really hoped that he'd be able to spend enough time in here to avoid his roommate for the most part. He wasn't looking to make friends like he had with Aaron. He didn't want to get to know people here.

That didn't mean that he could be rude, though.

With that in mind, he hesitantly made his way out of his room when he heard the front door start to unlock. Only one other person would have the key to just let themselves in and Spencer never left the door unlocked. The two bedrooms were set up in a small hall, doors right across from each other, and the bathroom sat down at the end of the hall. In the other direction, just a few feet to Spencer's right, the place opened up to the living room. To the right of that was the kitchen, and the front door sat right between the kitchen and living room. From his door, Spencer couldn't see the front door as it opened, but he was still standing there when people started to make their way inside.

He had his arms around his waist, bundled up in a sweater that had belonged to Aaron, and was leaning against the door frame when the first man appeared at the end of the hall. Spencer sized him up with one quick look. It was a skill he'd learned over years of being the smaller, smarter, more easily picked on kid in school.

The guy—their RA had said his name was Alec Hardison—was tall and slender, though not as slender as Spencer. He was dark skinned, just a little bit darker than Derek, but he looked to be about Derek's age. The Lord of the Rings t-shirt he wore made Spencer's lips twitch into a faint hint of a smile and something about the wide and bright grin the guy wore left him feeling just a tiny bit more relaxed than normal. This guy carried himself comfortably, easily, like he knew who he was and what he was doing, someone who was at ease in themselves and the world around them.. Then again, that probably had a bit to do with the relationship he was in. Spencer could see the leather cuff the man wore, on which there were a few beads and then, in the center, the symbol for polyamory. If he were to make a guess by the three colors of beads that ran in a pattern on either side, he'd have to say the man was part of a triad.

That was both good and bad. Good, because it meant that the man was more open to alternative lifestyles, and that generally meant a person was more open mind about other things as well. But bad because that also meant that there were likely going to be at least two other people who would visit on a regular basis. Spencer really didn't want to have to deal with one another person, let alone three. He wished more than anything he'd been able to get single housing. There just hadn't been any available.

In the time it took for Spencer to give him a once over, his new roommate had finally noticed him. His smile grew impossibly wider. "Hey, man. You must be the roommate—Dr. Reid, right?" He shifted the bag he was carrying to dangle better over one shoulder so he could stick a hand out Spencer's direction. "Alec Hardison. It's great to meet you."

The small flinch and slight retreat that Spencer gave were instinctual. He fought against it, though, and stepped forward, reaching out hesitantly to shake Alec's hand. "It's nice to meet you too."

If Alec thought it weird how hesitant he was, or how quickly he withdrew his hand, he didn't mention it. He just kept on grinning as he moved right up to his room and opened the door, tossing his bag inside like it carried nothing important in it. Then he turned back to Spencer at almost the same time two other people came into the hall. One was a slender, perky blond girl, and the other a long haired gruff looking man who almost immediately set Spencer on edge. That tension only got worse when he realized that, no, this wasn't just some tough guy. There was an unmistakable air about him that Spencer had learned far too well this past year. It screamed _Cop._

"Guys, come meet my roommate." Alec called out to them. He leaned against the wall and gestured over towards Spencer casually, though there was something about him, an almost tensed air of _waiting_. "Guys, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. Doc, these are my partners…"

"I'm Parker." The blond called out, cutting Alec off. She bounded forward, the box in her hands shifted to one arm in what should've been an impossible hold. Her other hand came up and she waved it brightly at him.

The cop nudged her forward and his sharp eyes went right to Spencer. He didn't offer his hand. Didn't even move the box he was holding. "Detective Eliot Spencer." He introduced himself in a voice that was low and rough, kind of like heavy gravel.

Spencer fought every urge in him that screamed to simply fall back into his room and slam the door shut. How on earth had he managed to get the _one_ college roommate that had a _detective_ for a partner? Trying not to show just how rattled he was, he offered them all a small smile and a quick wave of his own. "It's nice to meet you guys."

Whatever had been making Alec tense before, it was apparently gone now. He must've been judging something in Spencer. Some sort of test had happened that the young genius had missed out on. Not that it mattered. Whatever it was, he'd passed, it would appear. His smile and body language were much more relaxed now. "I hope we weren't disturbing you or anything like that."

"No, no, it's fine." Spencer hurried to reassure him. "I won't keep you from what you're doing. I just wanted to look out and introduce myself. I'll stay out of the way while you unpack, though."

Maybe it was cowardly, maybe it was a bit weird or pathetic or a million other things, but Spencer didn't really give the other man a chance to say anything, nor his companions either. With another small wave, Spencer slipped back into his room, and he shut the door most of the way. He couldn't help leaving it just slightly cracked; habit, really. It helped him keep a general ear on things and make sure he knew what was going on nearby. At least, that had been the plan. He hadn't really counted on getting so absorbed in his book again. He certainly hadn't planned on any of the three people actually coming to his door to speak with him.

For a good twenty minutes he heard them all going back and forth as they unloaded things. Then, the noise had changed, settled into something else, something a bit further away. It sounded like they were setting up out in the living room. Good. Let them do that. Spencer had no real desire to do much outside of his own room.

Perched in his desk chair, Spencer was so caught up in his reading that he didn't hear the door open. He didn't even know anyone was there until suddenly a low, gruff sounding voice said "You know, I checked you out."

The sound of a voice where he'd been expecting none had Spencer spinning quickly around. He hadn't heard the man coming up behind him and it took everything he had not to scramble away. The only thing that kept him from doing that was the recognition that hit when he saw who was leaning against his door frame. Alec's boyfriend, Eliot. The _cop._ Then, just as his racing heart started to slow, his words sank in and Spencer had to fight the panic all over again. His throat tried to close off and he wondered if Eliot could hear his heart pounding across the room. One hand curled around the book he still held. Somehow, he managed to keep his voice somewhat steady as he said "I beg your pardon?"

Eliot met his gaze with a cold one that made Spencer want to shiver. "I checked you out." He repeated in that same calm, steady voice. "I do it to anyone that's sharing a space with Hardison. I keep an eye on what's mine."

Jesus. Oh, Jesus, why did this have to happen? Spencer had left Caltech to get _away_ from this. He should've known better than to think it wouldn't follow him.

The whole time he was panicking internally, Eliot was watching him, those sharp eyes of his assessing everything until Spencer felt like a bug under a microscope. He didn't flinch, though. It took more than a terrifying cop to make Spencer come apart. Something in his gaze had Eliot's lips twitching in what Spencer was shocked to see might actually be a smile. A ghost of one, really, but a smile nonetheless. What the hell?

"I'll ask you right out—you still involved in any of that shit?" Eliot asked.

Immediately, Spencer shook his head. "No, sir."

"You plan on getting back into it?"

"No, sir."

"Then we're good." His eyes narrowed and his gaze somehow chilled a few more degrees even though Spencer would've thought that impossible. If looks could really freeze, he'd be an iceberg right then. "But I'll warn you right now, you bring any of that shit around here, you pull any of that, and I'll haul your ass in myself."

Spencer swallowed down the lump in his throat. "Yes, sir."

For a moment longer Eliot just stared at him as if assessing how true to his word he was going to be. Then he gave a nod and slipped back out of his doorway. A second later he was gone, not even the sound of his footsteps in the hallway. Spencer didn't release the breath he hadn't even realized he was holding until after he got up and shut his door.

Well, this was a hell of a start to his new school, wasn't it? Leaning back against the door, the teen stared in his room and tried to still his racing heart. It could've gone worse. It really could've. That hadn't been bad, had it? Just a warning to behave and nothing more. And so long as Spencer kept his nose clean and behaved, there wouldn't _be_ any problems. Which was fine by him. That was the plan anything.

He blew out a breath that was just a little bit steadier and then drew himself up straight. He wasn't going to let one incident with his roommate's boyfriend rattle him. He was here to start over fresh, to leave behind the boy he'd been and the mistakes he'd made. That was what he was going to do. He wasn't going to mess things up this time. He wasn't.

This time, he was going to do things right.


	3. Clearing The Air

_Spencer has a talk with Aaron and then clears the air with Alec_

* * *

It didn't take Spencer long to find the campus library. Nor did it take him long to start making use of it. Libraries had always been a bit of a refuge to him and it was no different here. When school started, he simply had a more valid reason to be there. Often, he spent as long there as he could before finally heading home for the night. It wasn't that he didn't want to be home; there was nothing wrong with his apartment or his roommate. After that initial warning by Alec's boyfriend, there hadn't been any sort of trouble. Spencer just, preferred the company of books over people. Books were safer. They were much easier to deal with.

They became his refuge a bit during his first week of school. Being here before classes had started had been easy. He hadn't been required to go and actually see anyone. But now that classes were going, that meant that he once more had to deal with campus life. Deal with teachers who were surprised to not only see a seventeen year old in their classes but one that already had the title of 'Doctor' in front of his name. Deal with students who ignored him—his personal preference, really—or who felt the need to sneer or mock him because he was smart.

Spencer talked some of it over with Aaron during that first frustrating week. Whereas Derek was Spencer's best friend, someone he could always talk to, Aaron was like a father-slash-uncle and as such, he was the one who Spencer tended to go to with certain things. How to deal with people was one of those things. Derek was more likely to demand to know who was hurting Spencer so that he could go hurt them or threaten them into behaving. Aaron was more likely to help talk to Spencer, reassure him, and help him find ways of coping.

He called up Aaron the one afternoon as he sat waiting for the bus to arrive that would take him closest to the library. There was no one else there at the stop, so he felt safe enough to have a conversation without being overheard.

As usual, Aaron answered before the third ring with an almost curt sounding " _Hotchner_ "

"Hey, Hotch." Spencer smiled a little to himself as he settled down on the bench seat.

He swore he could almost feel the smile that came down the line. " _Reid. I've been wondering when you'd call. Morgan's been going almost out of his mind waiting to hear from you._ "

A low laugh bubbled up Spencer's throat. It colored his words, making them more relaxed, a little easier. "I call him the night before last and I've text you both since then."

" _You know Morgan. If he thought it'd work, he'd enforce a daily check in call_."

"Of course he would." The paranoid goofball. Bless him for it. Spencer appreciated the sentiment of it. Even if it wasn't something he'd do, the thought that Derek cared that much was still enough to make him feel a little warmer inside.

Aaron gave one of those low, easy laughs of his, the kind that only his friends got to hear. " _You've been gone a whole month. I think he's restrained himself rather well in that time. He hasn't even driven back out there once to check on you._ "

"I don't need checked on. I'm doing okay, Hotch, I really am."

" _I'm sure you are._ " Aaron said dryly. " _Okay enough that you're calling me at two-oh-three on a Thursday afternoon from what I'm guessing by the sounds would be a bus stop. Knowing you, you're fresh from class and on your way to the library, where you're probably going to do the studying that you could do at home, in your own room, if you weren't so busy hiding out from your roommate._ "

That was another reason that Spencer called Aaron when he had certain problems. More often than not, Derek's careful prodding, his skilled way of questioning Spencer, was a great way to go. He could pull things out of him that no one else could. But Aaron had this way of sort of cutting straight through all the BS and the silly excuses and fronts that Spencer would put up and going right down to the center of it. Even when there was nothing that really should've clued him in as to what the problem was. He was just that good. He was also rarely ever wrong.

He wasn't wrong this time. Spencer flushed a little and ducked his head down until his hair slid into his face and made a curtain between him and the world. "Hotch…"

" _What? You think I don't recognize your tactics by now, Dr. Reid?_ " He let out another of those low laughs of his. " _You employed them often enough against me. I think I'm the most qualified to recognize them now. Reid… you can't avoid the man forever. He sounds like he'd be someone you could get along with if you'd just let yourself._ "

"I don't want to make friends here, Hotch." Spencer repeated the same thing he'd said countless times before. "I have you and Morgan – who else do I need?"

" _You need someone that can be_ there _. Not hours away like we are. And you need to have a home you can feel safe going to. Not one that you're afraid to step foot inside of._ "

Spencer sighed and wiped a hand over his face. "I'm trying."

" _Are you_?" Aaron countered. " _Or are you just letting your fears make assumptions for you?_ "

That hit a little too close to home and Spencer sucked in a sharp breath. He was saved from having to answer by the bus pulling up. The phone stayed quiet as Spencer gathered his bags and got onto the bus, showing his pass before going to find a seat. Only when he was settled in to the back corner, tucked as far away from others as possible while still close to the exit, did he finally speak again. "I'm trying not to, Hotch. I'm friendly with him, I'm never rude. We've got our own rules for each other and I've been respectful. I just…"

"… _you just have troubles with trust. And I get that, Reid, I do. But has he done anything to cause you to worry? Has anyone there?_ "

"No. Nothing beyond the usual, I mean."

" _Yes, well, it's like Morgan and I told you here – there are always going to be kids intimidated by your intelligence. Ignore them. They aren't worth your time. Is that an issue with your roommate? Does he have a problem with your intelligence?_ "

"No, no." Spencer hurried to reassure him. "Far from it. He actually seemed really interested in the degrees I've already earned and what I'm doing now."

" _Then what's the problem?_ "

Setting back in his seat, Spencer blew out a breath and pushed his hair back from his face. He glanced around at the few people on the bus and lowered his voice just a little more to make sure that none of them heard him. "His…his boyfriend knows." He blurted the words out quickly, the one thing he hadn't told his friends yet. He couldn't keep it back now. "I don't know how, and I don't know how much, but he knows about my past."

The line went quiet for a moment and Spencer could just picture Aaron sitting up straighter. He could see in his mind's eye the way the man would be on full alert. Spine straight, shoulders back, and that intense, hawk-like stare that could intimidate so many. " _What happened?_ "

In brief words, Spencer recounted the moment with Eliot at his bedroom door. By the time he was done the tension was so thick he swore he could feel it down the phone line. Then, " _I'm coming up there._ "

"No, Hotch!" Spencer cried out. Immediately he flushed as the other riders on the bus turned to look at him. Cheeks flaming, he lowered his voice, trying not to draw any more attention to himself. "No. You don't need to come up here to threaten my roommate's boyfriend. I can handle it."

" _By hiding out at the library all the time?_ "

"Better than you coming up here threatening him."

The bus reached its stop and Spencer rose, slipping out the door at the back. He adjusted his bag and got a better grip on his phone as he started down the half block distance to the library. "Listen, Hotch, it's not that big a deal. Since that incident, nothing's happened. Maybe I'm just overreacting about it. Maybe Hardison doesn't know or doesn't care. Either way, he's not threatening me, not treating me badly or anything like that. He just does his thing and I do mine. It all works out." Pausing, the young genius smiled a little even though he knew his friend couldn't see it. "Not every roommate is going to be like you. Some just live in a peaceful coexistence and that's all that matters."

He heard Aaron sigh. " _I suppose._ "

By the time Spencer hung up with his friend, he'd reached the front steps of the library. He had to smile a little as he shook his head and silenced his phone. No matter how far away he moved, it looked like some things would never change. Aaron's protectiveness was one of those. Even hours away he was still ready to come to Spencer's defense. It was both touching and just a bit reassuring.

A little more relaxed than before, he finally made his way inside the library.

* * *

Spencer put the conversation with Aaron out of his mind. He'd resolved himself to just continuing on the way that he was and living in a quiet sort of existence with his roommate. Call it cowardice, but he didn't really want to know what Eliot had told his boyfriend, nor did he want to risk doing anything that might piss off the only person in these parts that knew the history Spencer was fighting so hard to keep in the past. If that meant avoiding his roommate, so be it. Spencer had a lot of experience at tiptoeing around other people and making himself sort of invisible.

Apparently, the world didn't agree with his plans, however.

That night after he'd gotten back from the library, he was curled up in bed with a book to do some simple pleasure reading when there came a knock on his door. He pulled his headphones out and looked up, calling out "Come in" in a voice that held just a hint of caution to it.

The door was pushed open and sure enough, it was his roommate there, only the man didn't actually come in. He just hovered there in the open doorway.

One of the first things that Spencer noticed was that Alec looked almost as nervous as Spencer felt. He quickly found out why. Alec reached up and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck before he seemed to gather the courage to say what it was he came in here to say. "So, I just found out that my boyfriend did the whole creepy, stalker bullshit again and potentially scared the ever-loving hell outta you." He blurted out. At Spencer's stunned looked, he shrugged nervously. "It's not the first time he's done it."

"Really?" That was all Spencer could seem to say. He couldn't really find the words for much more right now. This hadn't at all been what he'd been expecting."

"Yeah." Alec let out a sigh that sounded part frustrated and part resigned. Then he shook his head and fixed Spencer with a serious stare. "Look, whatever he dug up on you, whatever he found out, he hasn't told me and I made sure to tell him I don't wanna know. Your business is your own business. We all got skeletons in our closets, man. I don't need to know what yours are. You're a good roommate, you're quiet, nice, a bit shy but considering Eliot I can completely understand that. I just, I wanted to make sure that you knew that I don't give a damn about whatever he found and to just make sure you know we're cool."

Spencer couldn't seem to say anything at first. He just sat there and stared over at his roommate. Was Alec serious? Did he really…was he really serious with this? No one was that laid back. No one was that relaxed about these kinds of things. Spencer had a hard time believing that Eliot hadn't told Alec what he'd found out, or that Alec hadn't demanded to know. Being curious was just human nature. Yet, if he knew, would he really stand here and act so casual about things? So normal?

He didn't realize that he'd been sitting there staring until Alec cleared his throat. The sound snapped Spencer out of his thoughts and he actually jumped. Embarrassment flooded his cheeks when he realized that he'd just been sitting there staring like an idiot. "I'm so sorry." He blurted out, cheeks flaming. "I, ah, I just…is this a joke?"

The smile that curved Alec's lips wasn't mocking; it carried a whole lot of understanding to it. "No, man."

Just two words. Plain, simple, no qualifiers to it. Spencer found himself actually believing him. There was just something about him, something open and almost innocent in his face. He had the look of someone who'd seen some things and yet still managed to hold on to a sense of their innocence. Could he really blame Eliot for wanting to preserve that? Some of the tension melted out of Spencer and the smile that came to his lips was still shy but it was much more honest than any one he'd given so far. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Alec said, his own smile growing. "So, we cool?"

"Yeah, we're cool." Spencer said back.

He was still smiling when Alec left and the door shut behind him.

Huh. Maybe things weren't as bad as he thought they would be here.


	4. Awkward People Make the Best Friends Pt1

The library was quiet when Spencer made his way inside. As usual, his favorite librarian was sitting at the front desk and she offered him a smile the minute she saw him. "Hey, Spence!" She greeted him cheerfully.

"Hey, JJ." Spencer smiled back at her and offered a small wave.

JJ was one of his favorite people to see and his absolute favorite of the librarians. She was only in her twenties, a pretty young blond with a bright smile, warm eyes, and a mothering streak a mile wide. Either there was just something about Spencer that drew it out in her, or she was preparing for the arrival of her own child, who was due in just a few months, and was using Spencer as practice. When he talked to Derek, the man liked to joke that it was a little of both, but probably had a lot to do with what he called Spencer's 'puppy dog' look. "People look at you and they just wanna adopt you, kid." His best friend told him. "It's that lost puppy look on your face. Makes all the chicks wanna take you home and feed you up."

There were some kids coming up to the desk, so Spencer didn't bother sticking around to say anything more. Even though he enjoyed her company, he still wasn't the type to instigate conversation. With anyone, really. He talked more with Alec now that the two of them seemed to have cleared the air between them but even then it was usually Alec starting the conversations. Not that the other man ever looked like he minded. He acted like it was totally fine that Spencer was shy and not that talkative and he respected it. When it was obvious Spencer wanted to be left alone, he left him alone. But he always had a smile or a greeting for him now.

It didn't take Spencer long to gather up the books he needed. Arms laden down with books, he picked the emptiest table he could find and tucked himself down at the end of it that was farthest from anyone else. There he set his stack of books down, all ten of them, and pulled the first one off the top. Some were related to his schoolwork while others fell into what he categorized as the 'extra credit' section. Still relevant to his studies but not actually assigned. He was hoping they'd be helpful for the paper that he had due in a week in his psych class. Pulling a notebook and pen from his messenger bag, he set himself up to read and take notes as needed. Then, he dove right in.

He'd been sitting there for almost an hour in perfect silence when something interrupted him.

"May I sit with you?" A voice asked him suddenly, low and rough like a rockslide, yet oddly proper sounding.

Spencer looked up from the book on his lap with a faint air of surprise. The first thing he saw beyond his stack of books was another stack of books, only this one not his own. This set was in the arms of the man standing at the end of the table. A handsome face peeked out the side, dominated by wide, startlingly blue eyes, all topped off with messy black hair. The guy was looking right at him, which was surprising. He wanted to sit _here_? No one ever asked Spencer that. The young genius looked down the table, noting all the empty seats at his end and even halfway down, and all the other people at the far end, and then he looked back at the man who was still standing perfectly still waiting for an answer. Spencer flushed a little when he realized he'd yet to speak. "Oh! Um, yeah, of course. Absolutely."

"Thank you." The man set his stack of books down and slid down into the seat directly beside Spencer. Not even across from him, or one over, but right next to him. He pulled a book off the top of his stack and promptly opened it. Without another word, he settled in to read. Spencer was amazed to see the guy's finger trail down the page at a speed that was far closer to Spencer's than he'd ever come across. Not as fast, maybe close to half, but still far faster than most.

A soft smile touched Spencer's lips. With a mental shrug, he turned back to his book and resumed his own reading.

For almost three hours the two sat there and worked their way through their stacks without ever once saying a word. Spencer was surprised to find it was the best three hours he'd spent in a long time. No one ever just sat with him while he read. They always wanted to talk, interrupting him or commenting on his speed or trying to draw his attention. But this stranger sat just as silently as he and read through his books.

Spencer was the first one to finish. He closed the last book, cocking his head to the side to study the spine for a moment. It'd been an interesting read, he'd grant it that much. He did make a mental note to mention this one to his mother. They'd be able to get into a lively debate about it when next they spoke, if she were having one of her good days.

The sound of his neighbor's book shutting drew his attention once more to his companion. To his surprise, he found those bright blue eyes fixed right on him. The guy—Spencer guessed he had to be somewhere in the eighteen to twenty range—gave him a small, barely there smile that softened his face a little and made him immediately more approachable. "Thank you."

Well that hadn't been what he'd expected. "For what?" Spencer asked curiously.

"It is not often I find one who can read as I do. It was a rare treasure to sit and read without being questioned or stared at."

"Ah." To that, he nodded knowingly. "That's what I was just thinking. You're right, it's exceedingly rare."

The man's eyes wrinkled just the slightest bit with his faint smile. "But pleasant." Turning a little, he set the book down and then held one hand out to Spencer. "Castiel Novak."

There was only a brief pause before Spencer lifted his own hand. Shaking hands wasn't something he usually did but he couldn't exactly refuse with the hand right in front of him like this. "Spencer Reid."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Spencer." Castiel drew his hand back in and folded both hands down in his lap. "I've heard about you around campus. You're the young genius, the one who's already a doctor, correct?"

A blush hit Spencer's cheeks. He dropped his gaze down, flustered as always when people tried to bring up his intelligence. Everyone always made it out to be some big deal. For him, it just _was_. "Yeah." He was never quite sure what to say when people pointed out those things. It wasn't like he could deny it. But what was he supposed to say about it?

Someone nearby made a shushing sound and the two looked up to find that some people were looking there way, one of whom was glaring. Spencer's cheeks heated. Castiel, however, just arched an eyebrow and then turned to look at Spencer once more. "Apparently there are some who require absolute silence to work. Instead of bothering them, would you like to go and grab a cup of coffee with me? I've been told that's the customary thing to offer when one wishes to get to know someone a bit better."

There was a part of Spencer that wanted to say yes. A small part that was a bit intrigued by someone who seemed like he might be a mental match for him. Derek was always joking that he needed to make friends who were close to him in intelligence. But the bigger part of him just wasn't ready. He'd made friends with Alec, sort of. That was more than he'd planned on when he first came here. He didn't want more friends. He didn't want to be close to people. He just wanted to go to class and learn what he came here to learn and that was it. Making friends wasn't part of the plan. And the 'get to know someone a bit better' line set off all the warning bells in his head. He'd been down that road—he wasn't going to go down it again.

Chewing on his lip, he tried to let Castiel down without coming off as rude. "I, um, I've got to get home here soon. I'm sorry." It was a lame excuse and Spencer knew it. Just as he knew that Castiel could see right through it. Something told him that the man could see through quite a lot.

However, the other man didn't question it. If he saw the lie for what it was, he let it stand, allowing Spencer the out. "Of course." He said, dipping his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Maybe next time, then. I'm usually here each afternoon. If you are, I'd love to read with you again."

"Me too." Spencer said before he could stop himself. Still flushing a little, he gathered up his things, stacking up his books once more. It provided him not only with something to do with his hands but also something to use as a sort of shield between him and Castiel. It created a nice buffer as he rose to his feet and smiled at the other man, who had risen as well. "Thanks again, Castiel. It was nice to meet you."

"And you as well." Castiel returned easily.

Spencer gave one last smile and then he hurried away as quickly as he could without looking like he was actually running away.

* * *

That wasn't the last time that he saw Castiel. They ran into one another quite a few times over the next few weeks. He wasn't there every single time that Spencer was at the library, but he was there often enough, and each time he was he made a point to come and sit beside Spencer again. He always took the chair at Spencer's side, no matter what other ones were available. The two would sit together and read until one of them was done and ready to go. Just like that first day, they read without talking to one another, without bugging each other whatsoever. It was nice.

Afterwards, sometimes Castiel wouldn't stick around. Sometimes he'd have to hurry off somewhere, or Spencer would. But other times the two of them would sit and talk about the books that they were reading. Spencer found that he could talk to Castiel about almost any of the books he was reading and the other man actually seemed to understand him. He wasn't lost like some people could get when Spencer started talking. He kept up with him and actually offered intelligent input of his own.

The more that the two of them visited, the more that Spencer started to gradually relax around him.

It was almost two weeks after they met before Castiel made another offer for him to come out for drinks. This time, however, his offer was a bit more unique.

"I would like to invite you out to coffee again." Castiel said one afternoon, after they'd both finished their reading. He was turned in his chair to better face Spencer and he wore a rather serious look on his face. "I'm not usually the best with social cues as you may have seen and so I spoke with my brother Gabriel to see if perhaps I'd worded this wrong. He told me that your choice to decline last time might be because you think I'm inviting you out for sexual intercourse. I wanted to assure you that wasn't true. I merely thought we could get together in a better setting and have our discussion with the added pleasure of a cup of coffee."

The entire library was suddenly very quiet. More than a few faces were turned their way and Spencer could hear as some people started to snicker around them. He knew his cheeks were bright red; he could feel the heat almost burning them. But he looked at Castiel and the man's eyes didn't once leave his face, nor did he show any signs of lying or subterfuge. Spencer wanted to chide him a little for being so blunt and open in a public setting like this. Yet at the same time, he'd come to realize lately that this was just the way that Castiel spoke. He didn't seem to lie or beat around the bush. He said what he thought and what he felt and he hoped for the same in return. Privately, Spencer wondered about it, if perhaps there was a psychological reason for it. He had a few suspicions. But for the most part that wasn't his business.

Instead, he focused on the offer Castiel had just made. His words seemed true and Spencer had to admit that being reassured that this wasn't some sort of sexual pursuit was reassuring. And the idea of coffee with this man did sound appealing—on a purely friendship level. "I appreciate the reassurance." Spencer finally said, his voice just a bit low in an effort to try and cling to the nonexistent presence of privacy here. "That thought did cross my mind. But I, ah, I'd really like that cup of coffee—as friends."

"As friends." Castiel agreed. "My brother has his own coffee shop and bakery only a fifteen minute drive away. Though I don't encourage his boasting, he does make some of the best coffee I've tried."

Spencer smiled shyly at him. "Sounds great."


	5. Awkward People Make the Best Friends Pt2

The place that Castiel took Spencer to wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting. He wasn't sure what he'd thought, but it hadn't been this place. Stepping inside 'Wake and Bake' felt more like walking into someone's home than into a place of business. There were regular tables and chairs here and there like any bakery/coffee shop might have, but there were also a couple couches and some overstuffed chairs, and this all around feeling of _home_ and _family_. Spencer could easily see why people would like coming here.

As they came inside Castiel waved to a man who was standing behind the counter making drinks. The guy was tall, with a warm smile and floppy brown hair that kept getting into his face. His eyes lit up when he saw Castiel and he gave a quick wave back before turning to the door behind him and stretching his top half in. He stepped back out a moment later and went back to making his drinks with quick, easy movements that showed he was comfortable in what he was doing.

Castiel led Spencer towards the furthest corner of the bakery. There were two booths there, separated by a bookcase between them, and Castiel chose the one by the window. The two slid down into their seats and Spencer tucked his bag down against his side. "This is a wonderful place your brother has here." He complimented as he took another look around.

A hint of a smile touched Castiel's lips. The man didn't smile quite like other people did. None of those big, blinding smiles. But it made the little ones he gave seem worth that much more. "Gabriel worked hard to make this place. He could cook in classier restaurants but he chooses to bake. He has always had a sweet tooth."

"Well he's done an amazing job." Spencer complimented.

"Aren't you just the sweetest?" A voice said from beside them. Spencer looked up with surprise only to find that someone had come up to their table while he hadn't been looking. The man that was standing there was grinning down at them mischievously. He was on the shorter side, Spencer noted as he gave him a quick look over, and looked to be somewhere in his early thirties. Brownish gold hair was pulled back from his face in a rather messy looking bun, showing off eyes that were a darker sort of gold and were lit up with good humor. He wore a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that very clearly read "What Do You Call a Gay Dinosaur…? A Megasaurass!"

Castiel didn't startle at the man's arrival. He sighed only briefly before gesturing towards the man. "Spencer, this is my brother Gabriel. Gabriel, this is Spencer."

This was his brother? Spencer looked from Castiel's big blue eyes, and all that jet black hair, over to Gabriel's golden looks. He didn't comment on how little they looked alike, though. Even with his not so impressive social skills he knew that that wasn't something appropriate to comment on. However, years of manners had been ingrained into him, and though he didn't offer his hand as his mother had taught him to, he did look up and politely say "It's nice to meet you, sir. You have a wonderful place here."

A warm laugh slid from Gabriel and his grin grew. "Oh, man, I like this one, Cassy. Your dates are never this polite."

Even as Spencer's stomach clenched down a little at the word 'date', Castiel was rolling his eyes again. "We are not dating, Gabriel, as you are well aware. This is Spencer, the boy whom I spoke with you about. I took your advice and assured him that I was not interested in sexual intercourse and he agreed to come to have coffee with me. This is not a date. He is, as I believe you would say, not my 'type'."

The fact that he used finger quotes and everything on the word 'type' made Spencer smile even as he flushed a little. His smile won out when Gabriel rocked back on his heels and said "Wow, rude much, Cas?" and Castiel turned to Spencer and met his gaze with a sudden worried look. "I meant no offense, of course. You are a wonderful person, Spencer, and I very much value our budding friendship."

Never before had Spencer met someone quite like Castiel. This man was a unique mixture of kindness, bluntness, and obliviousness that Spencer had often had attributed to _him._ It was interesting to see it from the other side. It also allowed him a bit more understanding than the average person. Instead of being bothered as most might, he could appreciate those qualities and not have to worry about suppressing them in himself. "No offense taken." Spencer assured him quickly. "You're not really my type either. I much prefer you as a friend."

"Thank you."

"God, you're both dorks." Gabriel said dryly. He rolled his eyes and reached out to ruffle Castiel's hair, smirking at the glare it got him. He shot a grin Spencer's way. "Well, welcome to Wake and Bake, kiddo. Any friend of Cassandra's here is a friend of ours. You guys just kick back and I'll send Sammy over with some food and drinks for you."

Before they could have a chance to say anything to that, the man was patting both their shoulders and then scurrying away.

"I'm, ah, I'm not all that hungry." Spencer lied. He knew how much money he had on him and it was enough for a cup of coffee, judging by what he'd seen on the board as they came in, but not much else.

Castiel settled back into his seat. "That won't matter to my brother. He has a tendency to try and feed people, especially those that he believes need nourishment. My apologies, Spencer. I should have taken us somewhere that we wouldn't have been set upon by my family."

"No, Castiel, it's no problem. Your family is fine. I don't have siblings but I have friends who do and I've seen how they can be." This was mild, really, compared to how he'd seen Derek and his sisters act with each other.

"You are an only child?"

They chatted about the simple things for a few minutes until another man came up to their table. It was the long haired man that Castiel had waved at when they first came in. He walked up to them now with a tray in hand that had two mugs and two bowls on it. "Hey guys." He called out as he got close. "Here we are. Two coffees and two of Gabe's cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven." He served up a mug and bowl to each boy, smiling brightly at the both of them, and then he set down a small bowl of sugar and a little jug of what looked to be cream.

"Thank you, Sam." Castiel said in that deep, gravelly voice of his that always seemed to sound so serious.

Sam smiled fondly at him. "No problem." Straightening back up, he looked over at Spencer and winked. "You two enjoy, it's on the house." And with no more than that, the man turned and left them there. He didn't even stick around to talk as Spencer had expected. He just served them their food, smiled, and left.

Castiel immediately reached for the cream to start to prepare his cup of coffee. For his part, Spencer could only sit there and stare. It only took a second for Castiel to realize that he was being stared at. When he did, he looked up at Spencer, eyebrows furrowing down in a look that Spencer had come to realize meant he was trying to puzzle something out. "Is there a problem?" Castiel asked with his usual bluntness.

For a moment Spencer hesitated on how to answer. Usually, he would've kept his mouth shut, not wanting to look like an idiot. However, he was coming to realize that he didn't have to worry about that as much around Castiel. Everything he'd seen in their talks showed that a lot of the social issues that Spencer had, Castiel seemed to have as well. If there was anyone that would understand Spencer's random awkward moments or his occasional bluntness that usually offended people—why on earth did people ask questions if they didn't really want the answers to them?—this man was probably going to be it. With that in mind, Spencer didn't hold back the words that came tumbling up. "Your family is rather odd. I'm not entirely sure how to handle them. They're not bad," he hurried to add, because he didn't want Castiel to think he was taking back his earlier comment about their presence being 'fine'. "I just, I don't know. I don't know what's the appropriate reaction here."

Understanding lit up Castiel's face. He set the cream down and then pushed it across the table towards Spencer. "Right now, I believe the appropriate reaction would be to prepare your coffee and drink it."

That little bit of teasing there had a hint a smile touching Spencer's lips. "I think I can do that."

"Good." Picking up his mug, Castiel held it between his hands and looked over the top at Spencer. "While you do, why don't you continue to tell me about that book you wanted to recommend to me."

It was so easy after that to fall into what had become their usual conversation. Books were easy for the both of them to talk about. They were a passion the two of them shared. Spencer was pleased to talk with someone who proved to be at least as knowledgeable as he was on literature. More so, in some ways, and less in others. It made for a great give and take in conversation that he'd yet to find in anyone but his mother. Having grown up with a mother who'd taught fifteenth century literature and who read books like they were her world had left Spencer with a great appreciation for books. He was thrilled to find a friend who felt the same.

They talked for almost two hours, working through a few cups of coffee, before Spencer finally noticed the time and realized that he needed to go. He still had papers to write tonight and he wanted to be able to get to bed at a decent time so he wouldn't sleep in and be late for class. It was with reluctance that he told Castiel that he had to go. It was kind of nice to see that the man was just as reluctant as he was. This had been…nice. Really nice. It was the first time in a long time that Spencer could remember sitting down and carrying on an engaging conversation with someone who could keep up with him and who could challenge him just as much.

Standing up beside the table, Spencer gave Castiel one of his rare, real smiles. "Thank you for this, Castiel. I had a great time.

"I'm always happy to talk with someone who loves book as much as I do." Castiel said.

"Me, too. Sad as it probably sounds, I think I enjoy books far more than I enjoy people. If I had the money for it, I'd surround myself in books all the time." Chuckling, he pulled his bag up and slipped the strap over his head. "Sadly, that requires a job, and I'm still searching for one of those."

Spencer hadn't realized how empty this end of the shop had gotten, nor that Sam was quite so close. But apparently he was close enough to have heard Spencer's words because he called out "We've got an opening here, if you're looking."

Both Spencer and Castiel turned to the counter that Sam was currently wiping down. "What?" Spencer asked.

"We've got an opening here." Sam repeated. Brushing back a bit of that shaggy hair from his face, he smiled at Spencer, this great big smile that flashed a pair of dimples that probably had plenty a man and woman swooning for him. "I'm sure Gabe would be more than willing to put you to work. He's been wanting someone to help clean up or to do some dish work in the back. It's nothing fancy, but it's steady work and a paycheck."

It was a kind and generous off and Spencer wanted to accept. Truly, he did. Having a job and a paycheck would be _wonderful._ He just knew himself far too well to say yes to something like this. Flushing, he ducked his head a little and busied himself adjusting the strap of his bag so he wouldn't have to look up at them. "I appreciate the offer, I really do, but you don't want me working here."

"Why not?" Castiel asked him.

The corner of Spencer's mouth quirked up in a slightly embarrassed smile and he finally looked up at them again. "I, ah, I'm not exactly one of the most coordinated people. Nor am I a people person. Trust me, anything that requires me to interact with the public is the last type of job that I need. I'm much happier with numbers."

If he thought that'd stop Sam for long, he was quickly proven wrong. A contemplative look crossed the man's face. Still holding his rag, he leaned forward and rested his arms on the counter he'd just wiped. Hazel eyes locked on him and gave him a quick look over. "Cas said you've got a doctorate in mathematics or something like that, right?"

That was an odd question. Easily answered, though. Spencer nodded. "I do."

"Gabe's been thinking of hiring someone to do the books for him here. He hates it. Absolutely hates it." Sam grinned broadly. "He'd much rather just bake and pretend some magic fairies keep him stocked with supplies. I've been after him to hire a bookkeeper or something but he doesn't like anyone we've met with. He likes you so far, though. It'd be a weekend job, mostly. Gabe can handle the day to day stuff but he needs someone who can go over it at the end of each week and make sure that he's got all his stuff done right and his numbers in order, and someone who can make sure he stays within budget, plus someone who can handle the monthly crap, too. I'm not sure about all he does back there—I just know it drives him insane. He'd be able to give you more details if you really are interested."

If he was interested? That sounded like the _perfect_ job! It was numbers, which Spencer was always comfortable with, and he wouldn't have to deal with the public at all. He curled his hands tight around the strap of his bag and fought not to just shout out 'Yes!' at the top of his lungs. "Are you…are you sure?" He had to ask. Had to know that this wasn't some joke or something like that.

Warmth twinkled in Sam's eyes. Pushing off the counter, he moved to the door that led to the kitchen and pushed it open. "Gabe! I found you someone to help take over the bookkeeping crap you hate so much."

The loud 'woo-hoo!' from the kitchen had the few shop patrons grinned and made even Castiel chuckle. A second later Gabriel came out from the back in an apron and splattered liberally with flour. His eyes shot around and quickly settled on Castiel and Spencer. Then he grinned. "Are you the God come to rescue me from the hells of paperwork and stupid little numbers that never match up right?"

"Um…maybe?" Spencer said slowly.

It was kind of scary, the way that Gabriel's grin grew. A flour covered hand shot out over the counter and caught Spencer's wrist in a move that had the genius jumping. Before he knew what was happening, he was being yanked toward the end of the counter and around it and then pulled back toward the kitchen, hauled along by the energetic, slightly insane man in front of him. The sound of Sam laughing echoed behind them. Spencer scrambled to try and keep up with Gabriel, who never once let up on his grip on Spencer as he pulled him through a hot, busy kitchen and over to another door on the other side, which led into a small hallway that had three doors. "Um, Gabriel?" Spencer tried.

The man just kept tugging him along to the door on the end. "I hate paperwork." He said as he pulled Spencer along. "I mean, I really hate it. I hate it worse than I hate cabbage, and I can't stand cabbage! And Sammy's always nagging at me to do this, fill out this, add these up, and I just don't have time for it all." With his free hand, Gabriel opened up the door at the end of the hall and then he yanked Spencer inside, finally releasing his wrist.

Spencer rubbed a little at his wrist as he looked at the room around him. This was obviously Gabriel's office. The room was small, but it held a bookcase, a filing cabinet, and a desk. It also had papers on almost _every single surface_. Print outs, receipts, invoices, orders. Spencer could see them all just sort of tossed around here and there in piles that made absolutely no sense. The organized soul inside of Spencer cringed at seeing this. How the hell did the man run a successful business if this was how he treated his office?

Something of what he felt must've showed on his face. Instead of being offended, Gabriel laughed. "It looks like shit, I know. Sam almost cries when he looks in here sometimes."

"You don't need just a bookkeeper. You need a _housekeeper_." Spencer said before he could think better of it.

He didn't get the chance to take his words back, though. Gabriel just laughed again. "Probably. I need someone who can help me get organized, get things in order, and then who can take some of the crappier paperwork jobs off my hands. Once things are somewhat organized, I could probably manage things during the week but I'd need someone in on the weekends to check over my numbers, make sure everything's in order. You ever do any kind of bookkeeping before?"

"I have." He'd helped out their neighbor back home, Yosef, with doing some of his bookkeeping for the little shop he ran. It had just been some at home stuff, a little bit of extra help, and in return Yosef and his wife had made sure that Spencer and Diana had been able to eat that summer when William had vanished for a few months on an 'out of town case'. Though he didn't do the books for him anymore, he did still do his taxes each year.

"Good." Gabriel said happily. "So you know the general idea, then. I'd start you out at, say, nine an hour to start with. If we're both still happy in two weeks, we'll talk about raising that. I'm pretty flexible about hours, too. I know you've got classes. So long as things are done by each Sunday night that need done, it doesn't matter to me _when_ you do it. Sound good to you, kiddo?"

It sounded like Heaven. Spencer looked over the messy office in front of him and he smiled.. "It sounds wonderful."

"Great! Welcome to the family, kiddo!" Gabriel said. He patted a hand on Spencer's back and then turned around and left him standing there in the middle of this insane, chaotic mess. All Spencer could do was smile. _A job. I've got a job!_


	6. A Different Point of View

_An overheard conversation changes Eliot's view of his partner's new roommate_

* * *

 **A Different Point of View**

* * *

Eliot Spencer was not a happy man.

He'd just gotten off work and was more than ready to head back to his place where both of his partners were supposed to be waiting for him. A night with just the three of them, away from families and dorms and friends and _everything_ , sounded like the perfect end to a long damn day. Only, he was barely in his car when Alec called him, begging for Eliot to stop by his place and grab his backpack which he'd apparently _forgotten_. Sometimes Eliot swore he'd forget his head if it wasn't attached to his body.

That was how he'd ended up here, pulling up outside of Alec's door so he could go in and fetch the backpack he really didn't want to let his young lover have, and which he very much intended to try to shamelessly distract him from using over the up and coming weekend. One of these days he was going to teach that kid the meaning of _relaxing_. It sure as hell didn't involve school books or a ton of electronics. Maybe he'd convince Alec and Parker both to head on up to the mountains with him for a while this summer. He had a cabin up there with a lake out back that was full of some delicious fish.

Thinking of the horrified look that would be on Alec's face at that suggestion was enough to entertain Eliot as he let himself into the apartment.

The first thing that struck him when he stepped inside was just how clean the whole place looked. That was definitely something new. Alec tended to forget little things, like cleaning up. A pig, Eliot often called him. Alec usually shot back with some sort of neat freak comment. Parker would let them argue it out for a while before she'd break it up. The last time she'd grabbed the edge of the mattress and dumped them all on the floor.

The cleanliness in here wasn't Alec turning over some new leaf or anything like that. Eliot wasn't stupid enough to believe that. He knew who was responsible for it. His eyes drifted back to the door that seemed to constantly be closed and he snorted lightly. Even though Eliot knew Alec had insisted more than once that Spencer didn't have to clean up after them, the kid still did it.

Despite his earlier reservations, Eliot had found himself gradually warming up to Alec's roommate. At first he'd thought that the whole quiet and shy thing was part of some act and that the kid was just using it as an excuse to stick back in his room and do all sorts of shit that Eliot really didn't want around _his_ boy. But the more that he saw of Spencer and the more he heard about him, the more he realized that wasn't the case. This kid was really, truly, _shy_. Quiet, shy, and more than a little jumpy. It was almost enough to make him feel bad for scaring him when he first moved in—something that Alec was _still_ pissed about.

It wasn't like he could be blamed for feeling a little protective! The things that he'd learned about the kid hadn't been all that great. Who cared if he somehow managed to keep it off his record? People still talked. And what people had to say about him wasn't all that great. It would've been stupid for Eliot _not_ to worry.

Parker and Alec both liked him, though. Parker liked to pet at him and call him adorable, clearly not realizing just how uncomfortable it made the kid.

And yeah, okay, Eliot was warming up to him a bit, too. The kid kept the place clean, he hadn't been in any trouble, he focused mostly on school or was out with a friend Alec said he'd met recently, he cooked, he always contributed to groceries and things, and he had this sort of magical ability to somehow guilt Alec into eating pretty much anything that he made. That gave him points in Eliot's books. Alec liked to forget to eat when he got sucked into school or his games, especially those late night sessions with that Warcraft game he liked so damn much, and he'd get so hopped up on gummi frogs and orange soda he'd be bouncing off the walls and unable to sleep. Eliot wasn't always there to force him to eat and Parker's idea of feeding him was microwaving a Hot Pocket. But Spencer would just make up food and then bring him in some. Eliot had seen it. And he'd watched once as Alec had tried to turn it down, to insist that he was fine even though he hadn't eaten real fucking food for over a day, but Spencer had just given him that puppy faced look of his, all open and worried looking and shit and the next thing Eliot knew, Alec was not only eating, he'd actually paused the damn game to do it.

Eliot shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned himself towards Alec's room. It took only a few minutes to gather up what his boyfriend needed.

He was grabbing some body wash out of the bathroom for him, the little shit always tried to use Eliot's and claim he didn't have his own to use, when he heard the front door open and close. Eliot was just about to poke his head out and call out to the kid to let him know he was there when he heard Spencer talking. "Is everything okay?" The kid asked, worry coming through loud and clear in his voice. "Is Mom okay?"

There was no answer and then Eliot heard Spencer sigh. "Good."

Kid must be on the phone. Part of Eliot didn't want to disturb him. The other part of him was just too nosy for his own good. Despite knowing it was a dick move, he kept himself quiet, moving as soft as could be while he grabbed Alec's razor and shaving cream, and he listened to the conversation going on in the living room.

"You can't talk with her when she's like that." Spencer was saying to whoever he was talking to. "She doesn't really register it, you know that. None of it's going to get through. No, no, I know. I _know_." There was a pause followed by another sigh, even deeper than the last. "Just, grab the CD player and put on the CD in the blue case. Yes, the blue one. It calms her down almost every single time. Dad, please, just trust me. It'll work. And make sure to tell her that I'll call later tonight, after dinner. She's usually at her best then."

Eliot leaned against the sink and cocked his head as he listened. Nothing that he'd heard or seen when he'd asked around about this kid had suggested that he had a sick family member. Not that that really excused anything; it made a few things make sense, though. It made even more sense when he heard the next part of the conversation.

There was the sound of something being shuffled around and set onto the stove. Then Spencer sighed once more and Eliot thought to himself that really, no kid should sound like that, not ever. Not that tired. No, not tired—exhausted. Utterly exhausted. "Yes, Dad." Spencer aid, his voice heavy. "Yes. Of course. I'll call the pharmacy and speak with them about setting up an auto-pay for Mom's medications. I'll make sure the check's in the mail as well before the end of the day…yes, absolutely…no. No, don't worry about it. It's fine. I told you, I found a job and it pays well. It's no hardship. If Mom needs it…of course. I'll speak with you later—and don't forget to let Mom know I'll call tonight."

The place went quiet and Eliot could clearly hear as Spencer set the phone down on the counter. There was a moment more of silence before the kid let out a snorted laugh that carried a heavy edge of cynicism to it. "Yeah." Spencer said softly to himself. "It's no hardship at all. Who cares if I need to eat? God forbid you be without booze or poker money." There was one more deep sigh and then the sound of keys being gathered up. A second later he heard Spencer's footsteps cross the room and head out the door.

Eliot waited until he was sure the door had been shut and locked behind the kid. Only then did he let out a sigh of his own. Well, hell.

That definitely put an entirely different spin on the things Eliot knew about Spencer. From the way he'd sounded, the cynicism and the resignation both that had been present at the end, it wasn't that hard to figure out that it was pretty common for Spencer to be sending his father money. Not just for him, but for his mother as well. Or, his mother's care. Because just as obvious was the fact that she was sick in some sort of way. The medication remarks and the talk of ways to calm her were pretty good indicators of that. But what kind of father called up their teenaged son to ask them for money? Children weren't supposed to support their parents! Yet the way Spencer had talked made it clear this was a normal thing. He was obviously used to supporting his father. He didn't even protest it once during that conversation. He'd just agreed to send the money out as quickly as possible.

Eliot resolved to watch things just as closely as before, but for a different reason now. It was obvious this kid needed someone looking out for him. Eliot was determined to do just that.

As he let himself out of the apartment, he also resolved to start stopping by with groceries again like he used to do when Alec was low on cash. Spencer and Alec both were scrawny guys; neither one of them needed to miss out on a meal. And he wouldn't let Spencer get away with not eating just because he hadn't paid for the food. Eliot wasn't afraid to growl at him until he ate, just the same as he did to Alec. Someone had to look out for these scrawny kids who didn't have enough good sense to take care of themselves. Apparently that job fell to him.


End file.
